Mediterranean Europe 8 Cyprus

7/27/2019 Mediterranean Europe 8 Cyprus

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Cyprus is an island with a split personality, in more ways than one. Divided into Greek

and Turkish enclaves since 1974, Cyprus is famous as a summer destination for British sun-seekers, who spend more time on the beaches and bars than exploring the island’s history

and culture. But there’s more to the Med’s third- largest island than sun umbrellas and banana-

boat rides. Cyprus was the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love,

and the landscape is strewn with ancient ruins and historic mosques and monasteries.

The last few years have seen a sea change in Cypriot politics. The island is edging ever

closer to reunification and travellers can now cross between the two sides just by showing

their passports at the border. For the first time in a generation, visitors to the Republic of

Cyprus can also freely explore the wild beaches and Frankish and Crusader ruins of North

Cyprus, while travellers to North Cyprus can also visit the incredible Byzantine and Graeco-

Roman treasures of the south.

Cyprus

FAST FACTS

Area 9250 sq km

Capital Republic: Lefkosia; North Cyprus:Lefkoşa.

Currency Republic: Cyprus Pound (CY£);North Cyprus: Turkish Lira ( TL); €1=CY£0.58/ TL1.88; US$1=C Y£0.45/TL1.47

Famous for beaches, mezes, mosaics

Officials languages Republic: Greek; NorthCyprus: Turkish.

Phrases Republic: yasas (hello); NorthCyprus: merhaba (hello)

Population 784,301 (plus 120,000 Turkishsettlers and soldiers in North Cyprus)

Telephone codes%Republic 357,

%North Cyprus 90 392

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w w w . l o n e l y p l a n e t . c o m C Y P R U S

HIGHLIGHTS Be king of the castle at the Crusader for-

tresses of Kolossi (p186), Kantara (p193)and St Hilarion (p192).

Bring history to life at the fabulousGraeco-Roman ruins of Pafos (p188),Kourion (p186) and Salamis (p193).

Step back to Byzantine times in the Troo-dos Massif (p187), home to stone villages,

medieval monasteries and rugged moun-tain trails.

Trek the wild trails of the Akamas Penin-sula (p188), the last untamed wildernessin southern Cyprus.

Walk along beaches untouched by humanfootprints in the splendidly isolated Kar-pas Peninsula (p193).

ITINERARIES One week With just a week in Cyprus,

head to the capital to explore north andsouth Lefkosia. Cross the border for anovernight trip to Girne, then head south

to Lemesos and Pafos for the island’s bestGraeco-Roman ruins, with a stop in thescenic Troodos Massif.

Two weeks With more time to kill, hire acar and explore the rugged Akamas Pe-ninsula and Polis. Visit Larnaka to pay your respects at the grave of Lazaros, and join the island’s most hedonistic clubcrawl in Agia Napa. In the north, exploreFrankish ruins in Gazimağusa and driveup to the wild Karpas region.

CLIMATE & WHEN TO GO Cyprus has a typical Mediterranean cli-

mate: cool and dry in winter, hot and dry in summer. The peak season is from Juneto August, but the island really cooks andyou can go from pasty white to lobster redin minutes. April to May and September toOctober offer warm sunny days and pleas-antly balmy nights – perfect for walking inthe hills. See p863.

HISTORY Blessed with natural resources but cursed by a strategic location, Cyprus has been a pawnin the games of empires since ancient times.Greek culture arrived in 1400 BC with the

Mycenaeans, but the ancient Greek cities atPafos, Salamis and Kourion were massively expanded by the Romans, who converted theisland to Christianity.

As Roman influence declined, Cyprus was

incorporated into the Byzantine Empire, andOrthodox Christianity became the dominantreligion. King Richard the Lionheart of Eng-land annexed Cyprus on his way to the ThirdCrusade in 1191, and the island then passedto the castle-building Knights Templar, thenthe Catholic Franks, and then the Venetians,who built huge walls around Lefkosia andGazimağusa to protect them from Arab ma-rauders. This failed to stop the Ottomans frominvading in 1570 and dominating Cyprus forthe next 300 years.

In 1878 Turkey sold Cyprus to Britain,but the majority Greek Cypriot population

demanded enosis: independence from foreignrule and union with Greece. In response, theBritish created a Turkish Cypriot police forceto subdue the Greek Cypriots. This cynicalpiece of ‘divide and rule’ politics paved theway for civil war.

Over the next 60 years, ripples of violencespread across the island, spearheaded by TheNational Organisation of Freedom Fighters(EOKA) and the Turkish Defence Organisa-tion (TMT), which aimed to divide Greek and Turkish Cypriot populations as a step-ping stone towards taksim – the partition of Cyprus. Britain finally granted independence

to Cyprus in August 1960, but the violencecontinued.Forces from mainland Greece launched a

coup against the government of Archbishop

HOW MUCH?

Meze meal CY£7 in the Republic; TL8 in

North Cyprus

Budget hotel room CY£15/TL30

Intercity bus ride CY£3/TL5

Museum admission CY£0.75-1.50/

TL4.5-9

2kg bag of oranges CY£1/TL3

LONELY PLANET INDEX

Litre of petrol CY£0.50 in the Republic;

TL1.5 in the Nor th

Litre of bottled water CY£0.50/TL1.5

Beer CY£2/TL3

Souvenir T-shirt CY£6/TL15

Snack kebab CY£2/TL5

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w w w . l o n e l y p l a n e t . c o m T H E R E P U B L I C O F C Y P R U S • • L e f k o s i a ( L e u k w si a , N i c o s i a )

Makarios III on 15 July 1974, killing dozens of Turkish Cypriots. In response, Turkish forcesoccupied the northern third of the island,driving 180,000 Greek Cypriots from theirhomes and killing 8000 more. Some 65,000Turkish Cypriots were displaced in the oppo-site direction before the island was partitionedinto Greek and Turkish states.

Over the following decades, all traces of

Greek culture were removed from the north.The area was flooded with thousands of illegalsettlers from mainland Turkey and hundredsof churches, monasteries and archaeologicalsites were plundered of their treasures – thegreatest looting of art by an occupying forcesince WWII.

Despite a series of international resolutions,Cyprus remains a divided island. The Turk-ish Republic of Northern Cyprus, created by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash in 1983,is recognised only by Turkey. However, therehave been moves towards reunification.

The Green Line was opened in 2003 to

allow refugees from both sides to revisit theirhomes, and in 2004, the two communitiesheld a referendum on UN proposals for re-unification. Unfortunately, the UN plan washeavily skewed in favour of Turkey – it wasaccepted by 65% of Turkish Cypriots andrejected by 75% of Greek Cypriots.

As a result, the southern Republic of Cy-prus entered the EU alone in May 2004. Sincethen, border restrictions have eased, allowingeasy travel between the two sides, but woundsare still fresh. Many Greek Cypriots now fearthat their struggle will be swept under thecarpet in the EU’s enthusiasm to sign Turkey

as a new member state.

PEOPLE Since partition, the vast majority of Greek Cypriots live in the Republic, but a few hun-dred Greek Cypriot farmers cling on in theremote Karpas Peninsula. In the north, theTurkish Cypriot population is now heavily outnumbered by Anatolian settlers from theTurkish mainland. Culturally, the occupiedarea is closer to mainland Turkey than pre-1974 Cyprus.

Cypriots on both sides of the line arefriendly, honest and law-abiding, if nation-

alistic. Family life, marriage and childrenstill play a central role in society, as doesreligion. The population of the Republic hasrecently become much more diverse with

the arrival of large numbers of migrantworkers from southeast Asia and the Indiansubcontinent.

RELIGION More than 99% of the North Cyprus popu-lation is Sunni Muslim, while the Repub-lic is 94% Greek Orthodox, with small butgrowing communities of Maronites, Roman

Catholics, Hindus and Muslims. You shouldwear clothing that covers the legs and shoul-ders when visiting churches and monaster-ies, and remove your shoes before enteringmosques.

ARTSThe definitive art of Cyprus is the produc-tion of icons – the paintings of saints thatgrace Greek Orthodox churches. You can seeexamples dating back to the Byzantine periodin many churches and monasteries. Perform-ing arts have been big in Cyprus since ancienttimes, and several Roman amphitheatres are

still used for performances. Relics of Cyprus’architectural heritage can be seen all over theisland, from stone-age settlements to vastRoman cities and Frankish cathedrals.

ENVIRONMENT Cyprus is divided by two mountain ranges:the Kyrenia (Pentadactylos) Mountains inNorth Cyprus and the Troodos Massif inthe centre of the Republic. The most impor-tant nature reserves in the Republic are theTroodos National Forest Park and AkamasPeninsula. The north has just one reserve inthe Karpas.

On both sides of the divide, the construc-tion of tourist villas is putting a huge strain onnatural resources – as long as expats continueto buy holiday homes, the concrete junglewill keep on growing. Tourism is the mainpolluter, but urbanisation and hunting areaffecting wildlife populations, including therare mouflon (wild sheep).

FOOD & DRINK Cypriot food is a combination of Greek andTurkish cuisines, based primarily on meat,salad and bread. Popular Cypriot dishes in-clude souvlakia (pork kebabs), seftalia (pork

rissoles), kleftiko ofto (lamb baked in a sealedoven), afelia (pork stew with wine and corian-der), stifado (beef and onion stew), koupepia(stuffed vine leaves) and yemista (vegetables

stuffed with rice and mince). These dishes areoften served together in a huge meal knownas a meze.

The north relies on Anatolian cuisine, withnumerous variations on the kebab theme.Vegetarian food is thin on the ground on bothsides of the island. For a quick picnic anywherein Cyprus, grab some bread, haloumi (squeaky cheese), and juicy Cypriot tomatoes.

The wine from the Troodos Massif moun-tain range is excellent – sweet komandaria isthe traditional wine, while zivania (a strongspirit distilled from grape pressings) is thelocal firewater.

THE REPUBLIC OFCYPRUSCovering the southern 63% of the island,the Republic of Cyprus has the lion’s shareof the beaches and historical treasures. De-

velop ment is rampant at the main beachresorts, but head inland and you’ll find pretty stone villages that have hardly changed forcenturies.

LEFKOSIA (LEUKWSIA, NICOSIA)pop 208,900 Package tourists largely bypass the sleepy capital of the Republic – a shame, as Lefkosiahas a more genuinely Cypriot atmospherethan anywhere on the coast. The streets in-side the Venetian city walls are lined withdusty stone houses and ancient Orthodoxchurches, and the city is packed with art

centres, theatres and galleries. The UN-patrolled Green Line cuts right through thecentre of Lefkosia – the northern side of thecity is even quieter.

Orientation Almost everything of interest lies inside thecity walls. From Plateia Eleftherias (EleftheriaSquare), Lidras St runs north to the GreenLine, but most of the tourist attractions aretucked away in the nearby alleys of Laiki Yei-tonia or around the Archbishop’s Palace onPlateia Archiepiskopou Kyprianou.

Buses and shared taxis leave from Plateia

Solomou and several smaller stands aroundthe walls. The rest of Lefkosia is a sprawlingmass of superstores and tower blocks, lessinteresting but busier than the old town.

InformationPlateia Eleftherias has banks with foreign-exchange desks and ATMs.Cyprus Tourist Organisation (CTO;%22674264; [email protected]; Aristokyprou, Laiki Yeitonia;

h8.30am-4pm Mon-Fri, to 2pm Sat) Close to PlateiaEleftherias, with complimentary maps for the whole Re-public. Free walking tours leave the office 10am Monday,Thursday and Friday.

CYTA office (cnr Mouseiou & Aigyptou;h7.30am-5.15pm, to 1.30pm Wed, to 1pm Sat) The main city callcentre, near Pafos Gate.Emergency (%199) Police, fire and ambulance.General Hospital (%2280 1400; Nechrou)Main Post Office (D’Avila Bastion, KonstantinouPalaiologou;h7.30am-1.30pm & 3-6pm Mon-Fri, noafternoon service Wed, 8.30-10.30am Sat)Moufflon (%2266 5155; Sofouli 1) The best-stockedbookshop in town is just south of Plateia Solomou.Police station (%2267 1434; Lidras)PS Printways (%2266 1628; Rigainis 63B; per hr CY£1;

h8am-midnight). The best of several internet cafés nearPlateia Solomou.

Sights & Activities Located near the old Pafos Gate, the CyprusMuseum (%2286 5864; Mouseiou 1; admission CY£1.50;

h9am-5pm Mon-Sat, 10am-1pm Sun) houses an in-credible collection of pots, statues and tombofferings, including the famous Aphroditestatue from Soloi. Arrive here early to beatthe crowds.

Most other attractions are inside the city walls. Just off Lidras St, the intriguing LeventisMunicipal Museum (%2266 1475; Ippokratous 17; admis-sion free; 10am-4.30pm Tue-Sun) traces the history

CITY WITH A PLAN

In an effort to bring north and south Cy-

prus closer together, more than eighty

Ottoman, Frankish and Byzantine buildings

in Lefkosia have been faithfully restored

with funding from the UN and EU. The

Nicosia Masterplan covers churches and

mosques, hammams (Turkish baths) and

tombs, mansions and monuments, muse-

ums and cultural centres – the aim is to pro-

mote understanding of the shared history

between the two sides. Close to the Ledra

Palace Hotel checkpoint, the Masterplan

office (%2266 8864; h8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat & Sun) has full listings of the restored

buildings in a handy, free guide.

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w w w . l o n e l y p l a n e t . c o m THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS •• Agia Napa (Ayia Napa)Book accommodation online at www.lonelyplanet.com

central. Art-house movies are shown at the bo-hemian Weaving Mill (%2276 2275; www.ifantourgio.org.cy; Lefkonos 67-71) in the old town.

Classical theatre is showcased at the LefkosiaMunicipal Theatre (%2266 4028; Mouseiou), whileTheatre Ena (%2234 8203; Athinas 4) is the lead-ing venue for off-beat productions. Contactthe Cyprus Tourist Organisation (CTO) forinformation on performances.

Most of the nightclubs are in the new town –the ultra-modernist Zoo (%2245 8811; cnr Afroditis& Stasinou) pulls in a young, hedonistic crowd atweekends. Lidras St is the hang-out of choice forenthusiastic migrant workers on nights off.

ShoppingLaiki Yeitonia is full of touristy souvenirshops selling reproductions of archaic pottery,Lefkara lace and old maps of Cyprus.

Getting There & AwayBuses leave from several stands around the oldcity walls, but there are no Sunday services.

From the main stand at Plateia Solomou,Intercity (Green Bus;%2464 3492; www.intercitybuses.com) runs to Larnaka (CY£3.50, one hour,seven daily), while Alepa (%2266 4636) and LLLBus (%2266 5814) run to Lemesos (CY£3, onehour, four to nine daily). Alepa also has a busfrom Tripolis Bastion to Pafos (CY£5.50, 2½hours) at 2.45pm (12.45pm Wednesday andSaturday).

Solis (%9943 1363) and Lysos (%9941 4777) havedaily minibuses from Tripolis Bastion to Polis(CY£8, 3½ hours), leaving around 11.30am.Eman (%2372 1321; www.emantravel.com) goes fromConstanza Bastion to Agia Napa (CY£3, 1½

hours) at 3pm.For towns in the Troodos, Clarios (%22753234; Constanza Bastion) has around 10 daily busesto Kakopetria (CY£2.50, one hour) – the10:20am weekday and 11.30am Saturday ser-

vices continue to Plateia Troodos (CY£3.50,1½ hours), where you can pick up buses toPlatres. There are also one or two daily serv-ices to Pedoulas (CY£2.50, 1½ hours).

From Tripolis Bastion, Kambos (%9962 3604) has a daily bus to Kykkos Monastery (CY£3,two hours) at 11.30am, returning at 6am thenext day.

Close to Podocataro Bastion, Travel & Express

(%

7777 7474; www.travelexpress.com.cy; Salaminos) hashalf-hourly service taxis to Larnaka (CY£4,one hour) and Lemesos (CY£5.50, one hour),with connections to Pafos and Agia Napa.

Getting AroundNicosia Buses (%2266 5814; www.nicosiabuses.com.cy) tothe suburbs leave from Plateia Solomou.

Private taxis loiter around Plateia Elefth-erias. For car hire, try Petsas (%7777 1515;Kostaki Pantelidi 24; per day from CY£20) near PlateiaSolomou.

LARNAKApop 73,200Calmer and friendlier than the other coastalresorts, Larnaka is famous as the final restingplace of Agios Lazaros, who rose from thedead in the Bible. There’s a busy waterfrontstrip with a modest beach and a quieter oldtown and Turkish quarter. The Republic’smain airport is 5km south of town, near thesalt lake.

The CTO (%2465 4322; Plateia Vasileos Pavlou;

h8.15am-2.30pm & 3-6.15pm Mon-Fri, 8.15am-1pm Sat,closed Wed afternoon) has the usual maps andbrochures. Free walking tours of the city leaveat 10am on Wednesday (from the CTO) and

Friday (from Larnaka Castle).The main post office and banks are on Zi-

nonos Kitieos, near the CTO. You can check your mail at Livadhiotis Hotel (%2462 6222; Nikolaou

Rossou 50; per hr CY£2) opposite the HI hostel.

Sights & ActivitiesThe old town is dominated by the stately Byzantine-era Agios Lazaros Church (AgiouLazarou;h8am-12.30pm & 3.30-6.30pm), which con-tains fabulous icons and the tomb of the es-teemed Lazaros. There’s also a small museum (%2465 2498; admission CY£0.50;h8.30am-1pm & 3-5.30pm, closed Wed afternoon) with ancient icons.

Down on the waterfront, Larnaka Castle(%2430 4576; admission CY£0.75;h9am-6pm Mon-Fri) has Crusader grave slabs, and displays onancient architecture and ceramics.

Close to the tourist office, the excellentPierides Museum (%2481 4555; Zinonos Kitieos 4; ad-mission CY£1;h9am-4pm Mon-Thu, to 1pm Fri & Sat),has an amazing collection of ceramics, mapsand folk art amassed by the Pierides fam-ily. There are more antiquities in the town’sArchaeological Museum (%2430 4169; Kimonos; ad-mission CY£75;h9am-2.30pm Mon-Wed & Fri, 3-5pm Thu,10am-1pm Sat).

Islamic monuments include the Büyük

Mosque (Büyük Cami) in old Larnaka and the HalaSultan Tekke near the airport, containing themausoleum of Hala Sultan, the foster-auntof the prophet Mohammed.

About 30km west of Larnaka, the mon-astery of Stavrovouni (%2253 3630; admission free;

h6am-noon & 3-6pm) is perched atop a 688m but-tress with panoramic views over the isl and –unfortunately, only men can enter.

Sleeping & EatingHI hostel (%2462 8811; Nikolaou Rossou 27; dm/r CY£5/10) Upstairs by the Bekir Pasa mosque, the hos-

tel is old and creaky but OK for the money.Dorms are single-sex and family rooms sleepfour.

Harry’s Inn (%2465 4453; [email protected];Thermopylon 2; s/d CY£10/16) A wholesome place setback from the waterfront near the PieridesMuseum, with the feel of a family home.

Militzis Restaurant (%2465 5867; Piale Pasia 42;mains from CY£4) A Larnaka institution, Militzisoffers fabulous kleftiko ofto fresh from theclay oven.

Art Café 1900 (%2465 3027; Stasinou 6; mains fromCY£4;hfrom 6pm Wed-Mon) Near the CTO, thisclassy place serves fine wines and even finer

Cypriot food in an upstairs dining room fullof old movie posters.

For a cheap bite, there are pavement res-taurants along the waterfront and inexpensivekebab houses near Agios Lazaros.

Getting There & AwayThe bus stop is on the waterfront, oppositethe old Four Lanterns Hotel. Eman (%2372 1321) and Intercity (%2462 3492) have regular daily buses to Agia Napa (CY£2, one hour), excepton Sunday. Intercity also runs to Lefkosia(CY£3.50, one hour, seven daily) and Lemesos(CY£3, one hour, four daily); two services run

on each route on Saturday.Travel & Express (%7777 7474; Papakyriakou) oper-ates service taxis every half-hour to Lemesos(CY£5, one hour) and Lefkosia (CY£4, onehour).

TO/FROM AIRPORT

From the airport to central Larnaka, you havethe choice of taxis (CY£5, 20 minutes) orlocal buses 22 and 24 (CY£0.50, 30 minutes,Monday to Saturday). Buses in the oppositedirection stop on Ermou, near the junctionwith Vasilou Evagorou.

AGIA NAPA (AYIA NAPA) Two generations of runaway developmenthave transformed the quiet monastery of AgiaNapa into Cyprus’ answer to the Costa del Sol.

Sunbathing, clubbing and binge-drinking arethe main attractions – some love it, others arehappy to leave it well alone.

As well as the busy beach, you can visit thetown monastery and the new Thalassa Museum (%2381 6366; Kriou Nerou 16; admission CY£1.50;h9am-2pm & 6-10pm Tue-Sun, 9am-2pm Mon), dedicated tothe maritime history of Cyprus.

Approximately 4km along the coast, Water-

world (%2372 4444; www.waterworldpark.com; adult/child CY£15/8;h10am-5pm) is a huge, Acropolis-themed water park. More water activitiesare possible on Cape Greko, the rocky isthmussoutheast of Agia Napa.

The CTO (%2372 1796; Kyrou Nerou 12;h8.30am-2.30pm & 3-6pm Mon-Fri, closed Wed afternoon) has infor-mation on tours to North Cyprus and othertouristy activities. You’ll find more package-holiday resorts at Protaras on the other sideof the cape.

Sleeping & EatingThere are loads of holiday apartments for

rent in the area.Eligonia Hotel Apartments (%2381 9292; Kyrou

Nero Ave 1; studio/1-bed apt CY£28/32;pas) Neatapartments arranged around a greenery-fringed sun deck and pool.

Leros Hotel (%2372 1126; [email protected];Archiepiskopou Makarios III 41; s/d CY£20/30;as) Abig refurb has raised standards at this long-established beach hotel, but the new bar willprobably make things noisier.

Limelight Taverna (%2372 1650; Dionysiou Solomou10; mains from CY£5;hMon-Sat) One of the few places in town serving real Cypriot food, in-cluding souvlaki and seftalia.

The town centre is packed with touristy tavernas serving mainly fish and chips, roastbeef and Yorkshire pudding.

EntertainmentAs the clubbing capital of Cyprus, Agia Napais packed with flamboyant bars and clubs.The Castle Club (%2372 2286; www.thecastleclub.com;Grigoriou Afxentiou) is top of the heap, but the Bed-rock Inn (%2372 3162; www.bedrockinn.com; Ippocratous2) is worth visiting just for the outrageousFlintstones-themed décor.

Getting There & Around

From Monday to Saturday, Eman (%

23721321) and Intercity (%2464 3492) have regularbuses to Larnaka (CY£3, one hour), stoppingsouth of the monastery on Archiepiskopou

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w w w . l o n e l y p l a n e t . c o m THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS •• Troodos Massif (Tro odos)Book accommodation online at www.lonelyplanet.com

Makarios III. Eman also has a single bus at8am to Lefkosia (CY£4.50, 1½ hours) andregular shuttle buses to Protaras (CY£0.70,20 minutes).

Service taxis between Paralimni and Larnakapick up and drop off in Agia Napa – contactTravel & Express (%7777 7474).

Dozens of places in town rent out mopeds,cars and jeeps.

LEMESOS (LEMESOS, LIMASSOL)pop 163,400 Part beach resort, part economic hub, Lemesosis the second largest town in Cyprus and thelocation of the main port. The town rose toprominence after Richard the Lionheart mar-ried Berengaria of Navarre here in 1191, butmost package tourists skip the historic towncentre for the string of bland beach resortsrunning west along the coast.

Orientation & InformationThe main shopping street is Agiou Andreou,

one street back from the waterfront near theold port. The new port, 2km west of the centre,is mainly used by freight and cruise ships.

The CTO (%2536 2756; cnr Spyros Araouzou & Dimitriou

Nikolaidi;h8.15am-2.30pm & 3-6.15pm Mon-Fri, to 1.30pmSat, closed Wed afternoon) is on the waterfront, a few blocks east of the old harbour.

There are banks all over town and a postoffice on Archiepiskopou Kyprianos. In thetourist zone, Oktovriou 28 has plenty of in-ternet cafés, and there are two terminals inTravelers Tales (%2587 8340; Agiou Andreou 4; per hrCY£2) in the old town.

SightsWith the closure of the Time Elevator, themain attraction in Lemesos is the solid-looking Lemesos Castle Medieval Museum (%25305419; Eirinis; admission CY£1;h9am-5pm Mon-Sat, 10am-1pm

Sun). Inside you can see Crusader gravestonesand lots of Byzantine sgraffito pottery.

In the same area are the Jami Kebir mosque(Genethliou Mitella) and the restored Turkish baths(2 Loutron St; steam bath & massage from £5;h2-10pm).The district Archaeological Museum (%2530 5157;admission CY£0.75,h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1pm Sat) isalso worth a trip.

The villages around Lemesos are famous

for arts and crafts, but all are very touristy and you’ll need a hire car to explore. Probably the best known is the lace-making village of Lefkara, about 30km northeast of town.

The old coast road to Pafos is dotted withsites linked to Aphrodite, the Greek god-dess of love. About 26km towards Pafos,Petra tou Romiou is the legendary birthplaceof Aphrodite – it’s a scenic spot with huge,white-marble boulders on a pebble beachwith great skimming stones. Nearby PissouriBeach is nicer and less developed than the maintourist beach at Lemesos, but you need your

own vehicle to get there.A few kilometres east, the Graeco-Roman

site at Kourion (Curium; admission CY£1;h8am-5.45pm) has Roman baths, an agora (public forum)and a famous amphitheatre backed by thesetting sun. Get here before 10am to beatthe crowds.

Nearby are the partly restored remains of the Sanctuary of Apollon Ylatis (admission CY£0.75;

h9am-6pm), sacred to a cult of Apollo wor-shippers in Graeco-Roman times. Closer toLemesos is the robust keep of Kolossi Castle (admission CY£0.75;h9am-6pm), built in Crusadertimes.

SleepingThere are a few old-fashioned guesthouses inbetween the lace shops on Agiou Andreou.

Luxor Guest House (%2536 2265; Agiou Andreou 101;s/d with shared bathroom CY£10/14) Blink and you’llmiss the doorway to this quaint guesthouse onthe main shopping street. Rooms have lumpy beds but the welcome is warm.

Continental Hotel (%2536 2530; fax 2537 3030; SpyrosAraouzou 115; s/d CY£15/24) Rates at this seafronthotel are excellent considering the views.Rooms are huge and rates include a decentbreakfast.

Kalymnos Beach Camping Site (%2563 2878;camp sites per person/tent or caravan CY£1.50/2) About20km east at Governors Beach, this family-runplace overlooks a series of pretty, black-sandcoves.

Eating & DrinkingRizitiko (%6534 8769; Tzami 4; mains £3-7) The home-style village food is excellent at this intimatetaverna near the mosque, though the family who run the place are rushed off their feetat times.

Draught Microbrewery (%2582 0470; Vasilissis) Thefirst microbrewery on the island, this boister-

ous nightspot serves a full range of lagers, alesand wheat beers.There’s a cluster of excellent open-air kebab

restaurants on the square in front of the mu-

nicipal market on Saripolou. In the evenings,locals dine at the upmarket pavement restau-rants around the castle.

There are dozens more bars and clubs alongthe tourist strip.

Getting There & AroundLocal and long-distance buses run from nearthe market on Georgiou Gennadiou, except

on Sunday. From Monday to Friday, TroodosMountain Bus (%2555 2220) has a 9.30am ser-

vice to Platres (CY£3, two hours) and PlateiaTroodos (CY£3, 2½ hours). Alepa (%9962 5027) and LLL Bus (%2266 5814) have several daily buses to Lefkosia (CY£3, one hour) fromthe marketplace on Andrea Themistokleous.Intercity (%2264 3492) runs from the old portroundabout to Larnaka (CY£3, one hour,two to four daily). Alepa has a bus to Pafos(CY£3, 1½ hours) from the seafront at 4pm(2pm Wednesday and Saturday).

Alternatively, Travel & Express (%7777 7474;Thessalonikis) has regular service taxis to Pafos

(CY£5, 1½ hours), Lefkosia (CY£5.50, 1½hours) and Larnaka (CY£5, one hour).

Local bus 30 (flat fare CY£0.70) runs fromthe centre along the hotel strip. Buses to theruins and beach at Kourion (CY£1.50, 30minutes) leave from Lemesos castle. Duringthe season, there’s also a bus to GovernorsBeach (CY£2.50, 30 minutes, summer only)leaving from near the CTO.

You can hire cars and mopeds all alongthe tourist strip.

TROODOS MASSIF (TROODOS) The last great wilderness in the Republic, the

Troodos Massif mountain range is a havenfor walkers and nature buffs. Dotted amongthe black pines are small wine-making villagesand Unesco World Heritage–listed Byzan-tine monasteries. The highest point is MtOlympus (1952m), crowned by NATO radarbeacons. The former colonial government hadits summer headquarters in Plateia Troodos(Troodos Square) – most visitors these daysstay in Platres, about 7km south.

InformationPlatres has banks, a post office and CTO (%25421316;h8.30am-4pm Mon-Fri).

Just south of Plateia Troodos is the Troo-dos Visitor Centre (%2542 0144; admission CY£0.50;

h10am-3pm) with a nature museum, videoshow and information leaflets. For skiing in-

formation, contact the Cyprus Ski Federation (www.cyprusski.com).

Sights & ActivitiesThe most famous monastery in the Troodosis Kykkos, about 20km west of Pedoulas. Thestone-walled compound is full of shimmer-ing, contemporary mosaics and frescoes, andthere’s a distillery producing komandaria

(sweet wine) and zivania (grape-skin liq-uor). The museum (%2294 2736; admission CY£1.50;

h10am-4pm) is full of relic cases and other in-triguing bits of religious paraphernalia. Withadvance notification, you may be able to stay in the pilgrim’s quarters (%2294 2435; donation re-quested). Archbishop Makarios III is buried in aguarded mausoleum, about 2km uphill.

Nearby Pedoulas has a small icon museum (admission by donation CY£1;h9.30am-1pm & 2-6pm) and the teeny stone Church of Archangelos, withhellfire-and-brimstone frescoes from 1474 –the key is at a nearby house (signposted). NearKakopetria, Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis (admission by

donation;h9am-4pm Tue-Sat, 11am-4pm Sun) has evenolder frescoes of stern-looking saints from the12th century.

About 30km south of Pedoulas Omodos isa village of perfect stone houses, set aroundthe Timios Stavros Monastery (admission by donation;

h8am-4pm). Local women make lace, whilelocal men prepare komandaria. The Houseof Socrates (Linou; admission free;h9am-8pm) has asmall, eccentric wine-making museum.

The mountains are criss-crossed by walkingtrails, and walkers can pick up walking-trail brochures from the Troodos Visitor Centre.One of the most popular walks is the 1km hike

from Platres to pretty Kaledonia Falls.

Sleeping & EatingPLATRES

Platres is the most popular place to stay andhalf a dozen tavernas offer inexpensive Cyp-riot grills and stews.

Village Restaurant (%2542 1741; Makariou; half-board

per person CY£10; meals CY£3-7) Just west of the mainroad through Platres, this friendly and popularplace has tasty Cypriot food in big portions,plus a few simple rooms at the back.

Petit Palais (%2542 2723; www.petitpalaishotel.com;Faneromenis; s/d CY£17/28) Done up like a Swiss cha-

let, Petit Palais attracts hikers in the summerand skiers in the winter. Rooms are compactbut neat; the ones at the back look out overthe forest.

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PLATEIA TROODOS

Plateia Troodos is being redeveloped and thereare several simple restaurants on the mainroad offering anglicised Cypriot meals.

Troodos camping ground (%2542 0205; camp sitesper tent/caravan CY£2/2.50;hMay-Oct) Below townon the Lefkosia road, the camping ground hasplenty of pines for shade and a small café.

Jubilee Hotel (%2542 0107; www.jubileehotel.com;

s/d CY£19/30;a) This is a comfortable place in along, tin-roofed building on the road to Kyk-kos. Some rooms have forest views and youcan hire mountain bikes for CY£10 per day.

PEDOULAS

This is a quieter alternative to Platres, withlots of historic treasures.

Mountain Rose (%2295 2727; s/d CY£20/35) Onthe main road through Pedoulas, this big,wood-filled hotel has a chalet feel and the besttaverna in town.

Getting There & Around

Villages in the Troodos are widely spaced so arental car is the best way to get around. FromMonday to Friday, Troodos Mountain Bus (%2555

2220) has a daily bus from Plateia Troodos toLemesos (CY£3, 1¾ hours) via Platres (CY£1,20 minutes). See p184 for information onbuses from the capital.

Rural taxis in Platres can ferry you aroundthe monasteries. A taxi from Lemesos to Pla-tres will cost around CY£25.

PAFOSpop 48,300

The former capital of Cyprus, Pafos is packed

with historical relics…and tourists. If youfind the beach strip at Kato Pafos too devel-oped, head up to quieter Ano Pafos on thehillside. More beach resorts are strung outwest along the coast towards Agios Geor-gios. To escape the crowds, rent a car andhead for the wonderfully untouched AkamasPeninsula.

The CTO (%2693 2841; Gladstonos 3;h8.15am-2.30pm & 3-6.15pm Mon-Fri, 8.15am-1.30pm Sat, closed Wedafternoon) is just down from Ano Pafos’ mainsquare. There’s a second office on Poseidonosin Kato Pafos.

There are banks and post offices in Ano

Pafos and along the tourist strip. The mostconvenient internet café is Maroushia Internet (%2694 7240; Plateia Kennedy 6; per hr CY£2;h9am-11pmMon-Sat, 3pm-10pm Sun) in Ano Pafos.

SightsIt’s worth braving the crowds to see PafosArchaeological Site (%2694 0217; admission CY£1.50;

h8am-5pm), with its astounding Roman mosa-ics, many featuring the rambunctious exploitsof Dionysos, the god of wine. Within the samecompound are the ruins of a castle and amphi-theatre. There’s another castle on the harbourand more Roman ruins in the grounds of the

Chrysopolitissa church (Agias Kriakis;hdawn-dusk).There’s more intriguing history uphill in

Ano Pafos at the Byzantine Museum (%2693 1393;admission CY£1;h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 1pm Sat) and theEthnographic Museum (%2693 2010; admission CY£1.50;

h9am-6pm Mon-Sat, to 1pm Sun).For a quieter historical experience, visit the

Tombs of the Kings (%2694 0295; admission CY£0.75;

h7.30am-8pm), from the 3rd century BC, about2km north of Kato Pafos. Hewn by hand fromyellow sandstone, the tombs still exude a senseof mystery and power.

There’s also a touristy aquarium (%26953920; Artemidos 1; admission CY£3.50;h9am-7pm) in

Kato Pafos, and the Pafos Bird & Animal Park(%2681 3852; www.pafosbirdpark.com; admission CY£9;

h9am-5pm) in Agios Georgios.

SleepingAno Pafos has the best hotels for walk-ins.

Trianon Hotel (%2693 2193; Archiepiskopou Makariou

III 99; s/d with shared bathroom CY£6/12) A simple placeon the main shopping street, the Trianonis family run and friendly, but the sharedbathroom is off the kitchen and the toilet isoff the lounge.

Axiothea Hotel (%2693 2866, [email protected]; Eves Malioti 2; s/d CY£23/32;a) Run by the

charismatic Andreas, this genial small hotelis just above the park in Ano Pafos. Roomshave optional air-con (CY£3), balconies andcracking ocean views.

For more romance, try the boutique KinirasHotel (%2624 1604; www.kiniras.cy.net; ArchiepiskopouMakariou III 91; s/d CY£41/66;ai) or the outra-geously themed Roman Hotel (%2695 5411; www.romanhotel.com.cy; Tombs of the Kings Rd; d from CY£28;

as) in Kato Pafos.

Eating & DrinkingArgo (%2693 3327; Pafias Afroditis 21; mains CY£5-9) Setback from the tourist strip, Argo is widely

regarded as the best Cypriot restaurant inKato Pafos. The mousakka (layered mince andaubergines with béchamel sauce) and kleftiko go down a treat.

Nikos Tyrimos Fish Tavern (%2694 2846; Agapinoros

71; fish dishes CY£5-10) About 500m inland fromthe tourist strip, Tyrimos serves the best fishdishes in town, cooked the way locals like it.

The old harbour in Kato Pafos is a strip of touristy waterfront tavernas offering identicalCypriot and British menus – the food is finebut the crowds are overpowering.

While it isn’t quite as bacchanalian as

Agia Napa, Kato Pafos has its own noisy barand club scene, centred on Agiou Antoniou.Happy hours abound…

Getting There & AroundMost buses leave from the Karavella bus standnear the market. From Monday to Saturday,Alepa (%2693 1755) runs one morning bus toLefkosia (CY£5.50, 2½ hours) via Lemesos(CY£3, 1½ hours) at 8am (7.30am on Wednes-day and Saturday). Alepa also has buses every few minutes to Kato Pafos (CY£0.70, 15 min-utes). Nea Amoroza Co (%2693 6822) runs hourly buses to Polis (CY£2.30, 45 minutes).

For Lemesos, you are probably better off taking a Travel & Express (%7777 7474; EvagoraPallikaridi) service taxi (CY£5.50, 40 minutes,half-hourly). A private taxi to the airport willcost around CY£15.

Dozens of rental places in Kato Pafos rentout bikes (CY£3 per day), mopeds (CY£4)and cars (CY£15).

POLISpop 1800Built over the ruins of ancient Marion, Polisis the Mediterranean everyone remembers –orange groves above a pretty beach and small

tavernas clustered around the village square.Pedestrianised Griva Digeni is the main streetand the beach is a 15-minute walk downhillalong Verginas.

The CTO (%2632 2468; Vasileos Stasioikou 2;h9am-

1.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat) is on the road to Pro-dromi. There are several banks and a postoffice around Griva Digeni.

SightsAs well as the beach, there are some interestingold churches and a small museum (%2632 2955;Makariou III; admission CY£0.75;h8am-2pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat) with treasures excavated from Marion.

About 5km west along the coast are theBaths of Aphrodite, natural springs where thegoddess is said to have bathed to restore her

virginity. You can’t try this out for yourself,

but the baths are a great starting point forhikes into the Akamas Peninsula. This stunningnatural wilderness is protected as a nationalpark and the hills are criss-crossed by dirttracks and walking trails – pick up the CTO’sEuropean Long Distance Path brochure. TheAvakas Gorge on the west side of the cape is aparticularly rewarding hike.

There are also some wild, isolated beaches –

gorgeous Lara Beach has a turtle-research stationoperating from June to September, accessibleby car from Agios Georgios.

Sleeping & EatingPolis camping ground (%2681 5080; camp sites perperson/tent CY£1.50/2) Hidden in a grove of eu-calyptus trees down on the beach, this has abeach café for day-trippers.

Bougainvillea Hotel Apartments (%2681 2250; Ver-ginas 13; apt from CY£25; as) On the beach road,Bougainvillea offers quiet and roomy split-levelapartments beside a decent-sized pool.

C&A Tourist Apartments (%2632 1881; Great Alex-

ander St; apt from CY£36;as) Welcoming anddisabled-friendly, C&A has spick-and-spanapartments arranged around a pool. Trans-port can be organised for wheelchair users.

For meals, there are half a dozen tavernas clustered together on the main square, ser-

ving Cypriot standards like haloumi pittasand keftedes. Savvas (%2632 1081; Griva Digeni) isusually busiest.

Getting There & AroundHourly Nea Amoroza (%2632 1114; Kyproleontos) buses to Pafos (CY£2.30, 45 minutes, Monday to Saturday) leave from near the CTO. There

are also three buses every weekday to theBaths of Aphrodite (CY£1, 20 minutes).You can hire mountain bikes, motor-

cycles and cars from Petrides Motors (%26321541; Georgiou Stylianou; bike/motorcycle/car per day fromCY£2.50/5/15).

NORTH CYPRUS Growing numbers of tourists are exploring therefreshingly undeveloped Turkish Republicof Northern Cyprus (TRNC), but the state isrecognised only by mainland Turkey. Historic

ruins abound, beaches are breathtaking andlocals are friendly, but the legacy of 1974 castsa long shadow in the form of looted churchesand neglected national treasures.

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LEFKOŞA (NICOSIA)pop 46,600 The northern half of Lefkosia is lost in time.Life moves at a snail’s past and the dusty streets are lined with ancient mosques andFrankish ruins. With the relaxing of border re-strictions, many people take a day trip acrossfrom the Republic (and vice versa) via theLedra Palace checkpoint, but there are few

tourist facilities – just a handful of small hotelsand kebab houses.

Orientation & Information The well-preserved Kyrenia Gate on the northside of the city wall contains the Tourist Office(%227 2994;h9am-4pm Mon-Fri, to 1pm Sat & Sun) ,with free maps and brochures. From here,Girne Caddesi runs south to Atatürk Meydani(the main square) and the historic SelimiyeMosque. Rustem Bookshop (%228 3506; Girne Caddesi22) sells more detailed city maps.

For foreign exchange, try the banks onGirne Caddesi or Denizati Döviz (%228 2623;

Girne Caddesi 17; 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 1pm Sat) by theSaray Hotel.There’s a post office (h8am-12.30pm & 1.30-5pm

Mon-Fri) on Sarayönü Sokak and Orbit InternetCafé (%229 1787; Girne Caddesi; per hr TL2.5;h24hr) has reasonably fast connections.

Dial%155 for the police or%112 for anambulance.

Sights & ActivitiesJust inside the walls, the Mevlevi Museum (%227 1283; Girne Caddesi; admission TL4.5;h9am-1pm

& 2-4.45pm Mon-Fri) is dedicated to the whirlingSufi dervishes (Muslim mystics), who werebased here until the 1950s. Traditional sema(devotional dances) take place during theShebu Arus celebrations in December.

The Selimiye quarter is dominated by theSelimiye Mosque (San Sophia Mosque, Agios Nikolaos Ca-thedral; Selimiye Sokak), built as a cathedral between1209 and 1326. A major restoration project

is underway at the nearby Bedesten, anothergrand Frankish church formerly used as anOttoman bazaar.

A few blocks west, Büyük Han (Arasta Sokak;

hMon-Sat) is an old Ottoman inn that now contains a crafts market. Nearby is the BüyükHammam (Irfan Bey Sokak;%228 4462; steam-bathtreatments TL10-30;h7am-10.30pm), probably themost authentic Turkish steam bath in thecountry.

Many more ancient monuments are beingrestored by the UN – pick up a copy of theNicosia Trail brochure from the tourist officeor visit the Nicosia Masterplan headquarters

at the Ledra Palace Hotel.

Sleeping & EatingAccommodation in Lefkoşa is limited and thefew budget options are not recommended forlone female travellers.

Seslikaya Otel (%227 4193; Cumhuriyet Sokak; s/dTL30/35) Dust hardly dares to settle at this brightand clean pansiyon near the main square.Rooms have fans, cartoon bedspreads andtiny TVs.

Saray Hotel (%228 3115; fax 228 4808; AtatürkMeydanı; s/d with air-con TL90/150;pa) It’s worthupgrading to this tasteful, upmarket hotel

right in the centre. There’s a basement casino,and rooms have tiny balconies and lusciousdeep-pile carpets.

Foodwise, you pretty much have a choiceof kebabs or kebabs. Girne Caddesi has sev-eral reputable salonu (snack restaurants)serving shish and kofte kebabs and haloumipittas for TL4 or less – try Amasyali (%2283294; Girne Caddesi 186;hMon-Sat) or the superiorUmutlar Restaurant (%227 3236; Girne Caddesi 51;

h24hrs).Alternatively, there are pavement cafés on

Atatürk Meydani and more around the Se-limiye Mosque.

Self-caterers should head to theLemar Su-

permarket (Girne Caddesi) or the Belediye Pazaricovered market, just south of the SelimiyeMosque; both are closed on Sunday.

Getting There & AwayThe long-distance bus station is a 15-minutewalk from the walls along Gazeteci KemalAşik Caddesi. Girneliler Seyahat (%228 1018) has

very regular minibuses to Girne (TL2.5, 30minutes), while Akva/Ulusoy (%227 2524) goesfrequently to Güzelyurt (TL3.5, 45 minutes).İtimat (%227 1617) minibuses to Gazimağusa(TL4, one hour) leave half-hourly from Kay-makli Yolu Sokak, just east of Kyrenia Gate.

Kombos (%227 2929) service taxis to Girne(TL3, 30 minutes) run from Mevlevi TekkeSokak in the old city. Taxis also loiter around

the Ledra Palace checkpoint, offering day tours to Girne (TL60) and Gazimağusa(TL150). A private taxi to Ercan airport willcost TL30 (40 minutes).

For car hire, your best bet is Sun Rent-a-Car(%227 2303; www.sunrentacar.com; Abdi Ipekci Ave 10; perday from UK£20).

GIRNE (KYRENIA)pop 19,300 This is the Mediterranean like it used to be – apicturesque stone harbour, ending abruptly at a looming Byzantine castle. The old partof Girne is delightful, but in the surroundinghills, hundreds of British expats are living thedream of owning a holiday villa in a housingestate overlooking a building site. Visit now

before the whole area vanishes under a sea of holiday homes.Most things in Girne are sandwiched

between the harbour and Ramadan Cemil

CROSSING THE LINE

Border restrictions were relaxed in 2005,

allowing overnight trips across the Green

Line. In theory, foreign tourists are permit-

ted to cross from south to north (or vice

versa) and stay for up to three months, but

it is not currently possible to enter Cyprus

on one side and leave from the other. The

only pedestrian crossing is at the Ledra Pal-

ace Hotel in Lefkosia. Cars can cross at Agios

Dometios/Kermia (near Lefkosia), Vrysoulles

(near Agia Napa) and Astrometiris/Zohdia

(near Güzelyurt). Temporary car insurance

is available at the border, but hire cars can

only be taken from south to north, not the

other way round. The situation is volatile, so

check locally before attempting to cross.

Ὀ Ὀ Ὀ Ὀ

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1

3

2

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Girne (25km)To St Hilarion (20km);

65km)(Famagusta,

Crossing (1km)To Kermia Border

Embassy (1km)To US

GazimaÿusaEmbassy (200m);

To German

G r e e

n L i n

eCheckpoint

Ledra Palace

(NORTH CYPRUS)LEFKOŠA

SELIMIYE

(REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS)LEFKOSIA

(Nicosia) MapSee Lefkosia

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INFORMATION

Sun Rent-a-Car................ B2Long Distance Bus Station.. C1

Girne........................... C3Kombos Service Taxis to

Gazimaÿuusa............... C2Îtimat Minibuses toCharter Taxi Stand........... C3

Umutlar Restaurant.......... B3Pavement Cafés............... B3

Pavement Cafés.............. C4Lemar Supermarket.......... B3Belediye Pazari................ C4Amasyali.......................... B3

Seslikaya Otel.................. B4Saray Hotel...................... B4

Selimiye Mosque............. C4Mevlevi Museum............. B3Kyrenia Gate....................(see 7)Büyük Han...................... C4Büyük Hamam................. B4Bedesten........................... C4

Turkish Embassy................ B2Tourist Office..................... B3

Rustem Bookshop.............. B4Police................................. B3Orbit Internet Café........(see 16)Main Post Office................ B3Internet Cafés.................... B3Denizati Döviz...............(see 14)British High Commission.... A3Australian Embassy............ A2

LEFKOŠA (NICOSIA) 0 400 m0 0.2 miles

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Meydani, the main roundabout. The touristoffice (%815 2145;h9am-5pm) is by the waterat the west end of the harbour.

There are banks and foreign-exchange of-fices on Ziya Rifki Caddesi and the post officeis on Mustafa Çağatay Caddesi. For internetaccess, try Café Net (%815 9259; Efeler Sokak; perhr TL1.5;h9am-7pm Mon-Sat) between RamadanCemil Meydani and the waterfront.

Sights & ActivitiesDominating the harbour is Girne’s main at-traction, the Kyrenia Castle & Shipwreck Museum (Girne Kalesi;%815 2142; admission TL9;h9am-4pm),an impressively preserved castle with spooky dungeons and the remains of Cyprus’ old-est shipwreck – thought to have sunk in astorm around 3000 BC. Just uphill is Girne’smain mosque, the Aga Cafer Paşa Cami. Thetourist office has details of other museumsin town.

A TL10 taxi ride from Girne gets you tothe late-Byzantine abbey ruins at Bellapais

(admission TL6;h9am-6pm), the setting for Law-rence Durrell’s Bitter Lemons. Minibuses runfrom the main roundabout to the pretty hill

village of Lapta, a popular retirement spot forBritish expats.

Draped along the highest, rockiest ridgeabove Kyrenia, St Hilarion Castle (admission TL6;

h9am-6pm) is an archetypal Crusader castle.Views are stupendous, but it sits in the middleof an army base, so the only way in is by hirecar or taxi (TL25 return from Girne). On a4WD track off the Girne–Gazimağusa road,the remote Crusader castle of Bufavento offersmore breathtaking views.

Various adventure activities are possible atthe harbour, including diving, paragliding andboating – half-day boat trips cost UK£20 perperson, including a barbecue lunch.

Sleeping & EatingBingöl Guest House (%815 2749; Efeler Sokak; r fromTL25) Just down from the main roundabout,this workers’ hostel is grungy but cheap – thetiny rooms have fans and bathrooms.

Bristol Hotel (%815 6570; www.cyprushotelbristol.com; Ziya Rifki Caddesi; s/d TL50/70;a) A cosy, chintzy place on the main shopping street, the Bristolhas rooms that are bright and cheerful withfluffy carpets, fridges and pink TVs.

White Pearl Hotel (%815 4677; fax 815 6010; GirneHarbour; s/d with air-con TL75/100;a) A take-overand refurb has raised prices and standards at

this popular harbour-front hotel. Rooms havecracking views and there’s a rooftop terrace.

For a romantic dinner, whisk your date intothe alleys behind the harbour. Set RestoranteItaliano (%815 6008; Aga Cafér Sokak; mains from TL20) serves authentic Italian food in a Romanesquestone courtyard, while Brasserie(%815 9481; EfelerSokak; mains from TL22;hdinner only) offers French-inspired delicacies in a Venetian-style villa.

The waterfront has dozens of expensivetourist restaurants serving kebabs and Anato-lian interpretations of a Greek meze. There’sa cluster of cheaper kebab houses just west of Ramadan Cemil Meydani.

Getting There & AwayBuses and service taxis stop near the mainroundabout. Girneliler Seyahat (%866 1068) hasregular minibuses to Lefkoşa (TL2.5, 30 min-utes). Hourly Virgo Trans/Göçmen (%815 7287) minibuses to Gazimağusa (TL5, one hour)leave from an office on the south side of Ra-madan Cemil Meydani.

Kombos (%815 1872; Ramadan Cemil Meydani) hasservice taxis to Lefkoşa (TL3, 30 minutes) andGazimağusa (TL6, one hour).

The ferry terminal is a TL6 taxi ride fromtown – see p197 for boats to Turkey.

Dozens of rental firms on Ziya Rifki Cad-desi rent out bikes (UK£5 per day), mopeds(UK£12) and cars (UK£20). A taxi to Ercanairport costs TL50.

GAZIMAĞUSA (FAMAGUSTA,AMMACHOUSTOS)pop 36,400 Despite burgeoning villa developments along

the coast, Gazimağusa still feels medieval.Bound by mighty Venetian walls, the city wasone of the last places to fall in the Ottomaninvasion and little has changed here in cen-turies. The old town is dotted with Frankishand Venetian ruins and ferries run to Mersinin mainland Turkey.

Orientation & InformationThere are three entrances through the city walls, two by the waterfront and one nearthe main roundabout. From the inland gate,İstiklal Caddesi runs down to Kemal Meydani(the main square), lined with shops, banksand foreign-exchange offices. The tourist office (%366 2864;h7.30am-4pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm Sat & Sun) is housed in the Akkule Bastion at the southend of İstiklal Caddesi.

SightsGazimağusa is awash with Frankish ruins,and several medieval churches have been con-

verted into mosques, including the famousLala Mustafa Paşa (St Nicholas Cathedral; Kemal Meydani;admission TL2;h10am-7pm) where the Frankishkings were crowned – it’s probably the f inestexample of Gothic architecture in Cyprus.

Right on the city walls is Othello’s Tower

(admission TL6;h10am-5pm), where the Venetiangovernor Cristofo Moro is said to have killedhis wife Desdemona in a fit of jealous rage.The incident inspired Shakespeare’s Othello, but the bard mistakenly assumed that Cristofowas a moor (black Arab), adding an unex-pected racial twist to the tale.

About 9km north of Gazimağusa are theimpressive but poorly maintained Graeco-Roman ruins of Salamis (admission TL6;h8am-6pm). You can see mosaics, columns and a hugeamphitheatre, and there’s a gorgeous sandy beach with interesting snorkelling. A returntaxi from Gazimağusa will cost TL25.

Across the highway is the intriguing SalamisNecropolis (admission TL4.5;h8am-5pm), famous forits horse-chariot burials. Nearby, the Mon-astery of St Barnabas (admission TL4.5;h8am-6pm) has been opened as an ‘icon museum’, butmost of the valuable treasures from the area

vanished after 1974.

Sleeping & EatingThe camping ground near the ruins at Salamisis intermittently open to tourists – check withthe tourist office.

Altun Tabya Hotel (%366 2585; cnr Altun Tabya & Kiz-ilkule Sokak; d with fan TL40, with air-con TL50;a) Tucked

inside the city walls, this family-owned placehas a collection of simple, spotless rooms. Toget here, turn right after you pass throughthe inland gate.

Golden Set Pansiyon (%0533 879 9052; Yeşil DenizSokak; s/d with air-con TL30/60;a) Overlooking Oth-ello’s Tower, this old arched house has chintzy but comfortable rooms with cooking facilities.The owners are friendly but they don’t speak much English.

Palm Beach Hotel (%366 2000; www.bilferhotel.com;Deve Limani Sokak; s/d with air-con €100/140;as) Ina surreal area of ruined Greek hotels right onthe Green Line, the Palm Beach lords it overa strip of golden sand. Rooms are extremely inviting and there’s a pool.

Petek (%366 7104; Yeşil Deniz Sokak 1; snacks & sweetsfrom TL5) An Aladdin’s Cave of a cake shop, sell-

ing sweet and savoury pastries, cakes, Turkishdelight, and strong, sweet Turkish coffee.

Half a dozen pavement restaurants on themain square serve pizzas, burgers and otherAnglo-American meals. For home-style ke-babs and haloumi pittas, there are severalsalonus on Liman Yolu, just north of themosque.

Getting There & Awayİtimat (%366 6666) minibuses to Lefkoşa (€1.30,one hour) leave every half-hour from themain roundabout. Virgo Trans/Göçmen (%3664313) minibuses to Girne (TL5, one hour) leavehourly from Gazi Mustafa Kemal Bulvari.

Kombos (%365 2623) share taxis to Girne(TL6, one hour) leave from Eşref Bitlis Cad-desi, about 500m northwest of the city walls.

The ferry terminal is about 500m southeastof the centre – see p197 for information onferries to Turkey. KT Denizcilik (%366 5786) hasan office on Bülent Ecevit Bulvarı.

KARPAS PENINSULA For a taste of what Cyprus was like beforepartition, hire a car and head to the remoteKarpas Peninsula. This wild area has barely been touched by tourism, but the tiny touristoffice (%374 4984;h9am-5pm) in the post officein Yeni Erenköy can point you towards archaictombs and basilicas.

At the west end of the Karpas, reached via awinding, bumpy road, the swooningly roman-tic Crusader-era castle of Kantara (admission TL4.5;

h9am-5pm) hovers above the Mesaoria plain.Over on the south coast, Altinkum beach (aka

Golden Beach or Turtle Beach) is a sea of

golden dunes with hardly a human footprinton the sand. Turtles nest here from June toAugust. A handful of simple cafés rent outwooden cabins – best is Hasan’s Turtle Beach(%533 864 1063; per person TL25) . On the northcoast, there’s another nice beach and a ru-ined Roman/Byzantine basilica at Ayios Filon,and more ruined basilicas and beaches atAphendrika.

Ayios Filon has the friendly Oasis (%533840 5082; www.oasishotelkarpas.com; d with breakfast fromUK£22), a homely restaurant and guesthouse,right on the water beside the basilica.

The enclaved Greek Cypriot populationwas able to protect some of the churches andmonasteries, and you can see ancient iconsin the slightly forlorn-looking monastery of Apostolos Andreas at the tip of the peninsula.

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GÜZELYURT (MORFOU) A backwater, even by Cyprus standards,Güzelyurt is a faded, citrus-producing town,close to a rugged, rocky coast. Few touristscome here, but the Museum of Archaeology &Nature (%714 2202; Ecevit Caddesi; admission TL6;

h8am-4.30pm) has the only collection of any size in the North. Nearby, lovely Ayios MamasChurch (Ecevit Caddesi) has been preserved in its

original condition, largely through the effortsof the exiled Bishop of Morfou. The restoredamphitheatre at Soli (admission TL4.5;h9am-6pm) is accessible by chartered taxi.

There’s nowhere to stay, but Güzelyurt is aneasy day trip from Lefkoşa by bus (TL3.5, 45minutes) or service taxi (TL5, one hour).

CYPRUS DIRECTORY ACCOMMODATION Single/double rooms in hotels or guesthousesstart at CY£5/10 in the Republic and TL30/50

in the north. There are Hostelling Interna-tional (HI) affiliated hostels in Lefkosia andLarnaka, but none in North Cyprus. Mon-asteries in the Republic sometimes acceptovernight guests for a donation.

The Republic has six licensed camp-ing grounds, including good sites at Polis,Plateia Troodos and Governor’s Beach (nearLemesos) – expect to pay CY£3.50 to CY£6 fortwo people and a tent. The four official camp-ing grounds in the north are often closed, butwild camping is popular in the Karpas.

ACTIVITIES

All the seaside resorts offer water sports likebanana-boat rides, scuba dives, boat trips andparagliding. The Akamas peninsula and Troo-dos Massif in the Republic and the KarpasPeninsula and Kyrenia Mountains in NorthCyprus offer fantastic hiking and mountainbiking. The European Long Distance pathfrom Pafos to Larnaka connects with similartrails across Europe – pick up the EuropeanLong Distance Path brochure from a CTO of-fice or the visitor centre in Plateia Troodos.

See p197 for information on mountainbiking in Cyprus.

BOOKS To understand the glory that was undividedCyprus, read Colin Thubron’s Journey intoCyprus or Lawrence Durrell’s Bitter Lemons,

set around Bellapais. Brendan O’Malley andIan Craig’s The Cyprus Conspiracy exploresAmerican collusion in the partition of Cyprus.Reconciliation and understanding is exploredin Echoes from the Dead Zone, by Yiannis Pa-padakis, describing the author’s first journey across the divide.

BUSINESS HOURS Banks are generally open from 8.30am to12.30pm Monday to Friday, plus 3.15pmto 4.45pm Monday afternoon in the Republic.Government offices are open from 7.30am to2.30pm on weekdays and 3pm to 6pm Thurs-day afternoon (or Monday afternoon in NorthCyprus). Shops close early on Wednesday andSaturday, and many places close at lunch timein summer. Almost all restaurants are openfor lunch and dinner daily, but smaller placesclose on Sunday.

CHILDRENMost attractions in Cyprus offer discounts for

children, and hotels can arrange extra bedsin rooms for a small additional charge. Thecoastal resorts have the most for children –Agia Napa and Pafos are packed with family-friendly attractions and activities.

CUSTOMS The Republic joined the EU in 2004, so duty free allowances no longer apply. In NorthCyprus you can bring in 500g of tobacco or400 cigarettes, plus 1L of spirits or wine and100mL of perfume duty free.

ELECTRICITY

The electricity supply in Cyprus is 240V at50Hz. Most placesuse mainly British three-pin plugs.

EMBASSIES & CONSULATES The Republic of Cyprus is representedworldwide, while North Cyprus has just afew overseas offices. Take a look at p196 for

visa information.

Cypriot Embassies & ConsulatesDiplomatic offices for the Republic of Cyprusinclude the following:Australia (%61-2-6281 0832; 30 Beale Crescent,Deakin, ACT 2600)France (%33-1 4720 8628; 23 Rue Galilèe, 75116 Paris)Germany (%49-30 308 6830; Wallstrasse 27, D-10179Berlin)

Greece (%30-21 0723 2727; Irodotou 16, 10675Athens)Italy (%39 06-808 8365; 15, Via Francesco Denza,00197 Rome)Netherlands (%31-70 346 6499; 15 Surinamestraat,2585 GG Den Haag)Spain (%34-91 578 3114; Castanella 45, 28046 Madrid)UK (%44-20 7499 8272; 93 Park St, London W1K 7ET)USA (%1-202 462 5772; 2211 R St NW, Washington DC

20008-4082)

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprushas the following offices (in other countries,contact Turkish embassies for information):Belgium (%32-26 484 870; 284-6 Ave Louise, BTE-10,1050 Brussels)Turkey (%90 312-446 2920; Rabat Sokak 20,Gaziosmanpaşa, 06700 Ankara)UK (%44-20 7631 1930; 29 Bedford Square, London,WC1B 3EG)USA (%1-212 687 2350; 6th fl, 821 UN Plaza, New York,NY-10017)

Embassies & Consulates in CyprusCountries with diplomatic representation inLefkosia in the Republic of Cyprus includethe following:Australia (%2275 3001/3; Stasinou & Annis Komninis4, 2nd fl)France (%2258 5300; Saktouri 14-16, Agiou Omologites)Germany (%2245 1145; Nikitara 10)Greece (%2244 5111; Vyronos 8-10)Italy (%2235 7635; 25th Martiou 11, Egkomi)Spain (%2245 0410; Strovolou 32, Strovolos)UK (%2286 1100; Alexandrou Palli)USA (%2239 3939; Gonia Metochiou & Ploutarchou,Egkomi)

Countries with diplomatic representation inLefkoşa in North Cyprus include the follow-ing listings:Australia (%227 7332; Güner Türkmen Sokak 20)Germany (%227 5161; 28 Kasım Sokak 15)Turkey (%227 2314; Bedreddin Demirel Caddesi)UK (%227 4938; Mehmet Akif Caddesi 23)USA (%227 8295; Saran Sokak 6, K. Kaymakli)

FESTIVALS & EVENTSThe Republic celebrates numerous festivals,and Christian feast days are celebrated withaplomb. The useful List of Events brochure isavailable from Cyprus Tourist Organisationoffices and is well worth picking up. Eventsheld every year in the Republic include thefollowing:

Epiphany (6 January) Priests bless houses with holywater, and a sacred cross is thrown into the sea by theArchbishop and retrieved by local youths.Apokreo (2nd week of February) Two weeks of pre-Lentfeasting all over Cyprus and a big carnival in Lemesos.Easter (March/April) Huge Holy Week celebrations withspecial meals, religious processions and bonfires for thesymbolic burning of Judas.Kataklysmos (50 days after Easter) Coastal towns com-

memorate the Biblical flood by throwing water around,feasting and singing improvised songs.Ancient Greek Drama Festival (July/August) Open-air performances of Greek dramas at Kourion and otheramphitheatres.

The main celebrations in North Cyprus arelinked to Muslim holidays.

HOLIDAYS Holidays in the Republic are the same as thosein Greece (p411), with the addition of GreekCypriot Day (1 April) and Cyprus IndependenceDay (1 October).

North Cyprus has a three-day holiday tocelebrate the end of Ramazan, starting on13 October in 2007, 2 October in 2008 and21 September 2009. There is also a four-day holiday for the Muslim festival of Kurban,starting on 20 December in 2007, 8 Decemberin 2008 and 27 November in 2009. Annualholidays include the following:National Sovereignty/Children’s Day 23 AprilLabour Day 1 May Youth & Spor t Day 19 MayPeace & Freedom Day 20 JulyTMT Day 1 AugustVictory Day 30 August

Turkish Republic Day 29 OctoberProclamation of the Turkish Republic of NorthernCyprus Day 15 November

INTERNET RESOURCES As well as the tourist-department sites, usefulresources include www.traveltocyprus.com.cy and www.kypros.org for the Republic, andwww.cypnet.co.uk/cyradise/index.html andwww.northcyprus.net for North Cyprus.

MEDIA English-language newspapers in the Republicinclude Cyprus Weekly (www.cyprusweekly.com.cy)andCyprus Mail (www.cyprus-mail.com). Cyprus Today and the Turkish Daily News (www.turkishdailynews.com)are the main English-language newspapers inNorth Cyprus. Numerous radio stations on

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both sides of the line play international popmusic with English-language news broadcasts.In the Republic, you can see English TV newson CYBC2 at 9pm daily.

MONEY The Republic’s currency is the Cyprus pound(CY£). Foreign exchange is mainly handledby banks, except in the coastal resorts. Most

currencies of cash and travellers cheques areaccepted and almost all banks have ATMs thattake international cards.

The unit of currency in North Cyprus is therecently revalued Turkish lira (TL), but UKpounds, euros and Cyprus pounds are widely accepted. Note that old million-lira notes areno longer valid. Banks have exchange facilitiesand ATMs, and private foreign-exchange of-fices (döviz ) can be found in all towns.

TELEPHONE In the Republic (country code%357), phonebooths use CYTA phonecards, which are avail-

able from shops – calls to Europe or the UScost around CY£0.16 per minute.In North Cyprus, pay phones take KKTC

Telekomünikasyon phonecards, availablefrom shops – calls cost TL0.65 per minute toEurope and TL1.35 to the USA. To call NorthCyprus from abroad, dial%90 (Turkey), theregional code%392, then the number.

Roaming GSM phones can be used all overCyprus. Prepaid phone SIM packs are avail-able from shops and phone offices.

To call North Cyprus from the Republic,dial%0139 followed by the local number.To call the Republic from North Cyprus, call%

0123 followed by the local number. Regionalarea codes form part of the phone numberthroughout Cyprus.

TOURIST INFORMATION The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO; www.visitcyprus

.org.cy) has offices at Larnaka and Pafos airportand in all major towns in the Republic, withexcellent maps and information leaflets.

North Cyprus Tourism (www.holidayinnorthcyprus.com) has offices in Lefkoşa, Gazimağusa,Girne, Ercan airport and Yeni Erenköy, withlimited brochures and information.

VISAS Nationals of Australia, New Zealand, the US,Canada, Japan and all European EconomicArea countries can enter and stay in either

the Republic or North Cyprus for up to threemonths without a visa. However, citizens of Greece, the Republic of Cyprus and Armenianeed a visa for North Cyprus, and Turkishcitizens need a visa for the Republic.

With the thawing of political relations,tourists are now allowed to cross the GreenLine and stay on the opposite side. No special

visa is required and immigration stamps are

made on a separate piece of paper to avoidfuture problems entering the Republic – seethe boxed text, p190 for more information.

TRANSPORT IN CYPRUSCyprus is a convenient gateway betweenEurope and the Middle East. There are airconnections to major cities in Europe andthe Middle East, and ferries between NorthCyprus and Turkey. It has recently becomemuch easier to travel between the Republic of Cyprus and North Cyprus, but you must enter

and leave Cyprus from the same side. See theboxed text, p190 for more information.

GETTING THERE & AWAY Ferry services to the Republic are currently suspended, so almost all travellers arrive by air. Departure tax varies with the destinationand is always included in the ticket price.

AirThe Republic’s international airports are atLarnaka and Pafos. The main airport in NorthCyprus is Ercan, but flights sometimes landat Geçitkale.

TO/FROM REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS

There are scheduled and charter flights frommajor cities throughout Europe and the Mid-dle East with Cyprus Airways as well as othercarriers – fares from London to Cyprus s tartat UK£200. Heading on from Cyprus, one-way fares include CY£60 to Athens, CY£70to Damascus and CY£80 to Cairo, Ammanor Tel Aviv.

As well as the following scheduled airlines,budget carriers Aegean Airlines (code A3;%22654000; www.aegeanair.com) and Eurocypria (code ECA;

%8000 0809; www.eurocypria.com) have discountflights to Larnaka from Greece and centralEurope. You can also find cheap charterflights in summer with high-street holiday companies.

Airlines flying to the Republic include thefollowing:British Airways (code BA;%2276 1166; www.britishairways.com)Cyprus Airways (code CY;%2266 3054; www.cyprusairways.com)Egypt Air (code MS;%2250 9000; www.egyptair.com.eg)El Al Israel Airlines (code LY;%2557 4180; www.elal.co.il)

Emirates (code EK;%2281 7816; www.emirates.com)Gulf Air (code GF;%2237 4064; www.gulfairco.com)KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (code KL;%2267 1616;www.klm.com)Lufthansa German Airlines (code LH;%2287 3330;www.lufthansa.com)Olympic Airways (code OA;%2271 6500; www.olympicairlines.com)

TO/FROM NORTH CYPRUS

Flights to Ercan airport in North Cyprusstart in Turkey so you must fly there firstand change. Fares from London to Ercan (viaİstanbul) start at UK£250. A return ticket to

Ercan from İstanbul costs around US$100.Airlines flying to North Cyprus include:Atlasjet (code KK;%231 4188; www.atlasjet.com)Cyprus Turkish Airlines (code YK;%227 3820; www.kthy.net)Turkish Airlines (code TK;%227 1061; www.turkishairlines.com)

SeaServices to the Republic’s main port atLemesos are currently suspended. If they startup again, contact Salamis Shipping (%2589 9999) and Louis Cruise Lines (%7777 8555).

There are several ferry routes to main-

land Turkey from North Cyprus. KT Denizci-lik (Cyprus Turkish Shipping;%366 5786) sails fromGazimağusa to Mersin (one way TL65, 12hours) on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday,returning the following day.

Fergün (%815 4993) and Akgünler (%815 6002) both have daily fast passenger ferries and slow car ferries between Girne and Taşucu (TL60 toTL71 per person, two to five hours). In sum-mer there’s also a twice-weekly ferry betweenGirne and Alanya (TL75, four to five hours,Wednesday and Sunday).

GETTING AROUNDBicycleCyprus has loads of quiet back roads for cy-clists, and the Troodos Massif, Kyrenia Moun-tains and the Karpas and Akamas peninsulas

are perfectly suited for mountain bikers. TheCTO produces the occasionally inaccurateCycling Routes booklet or you can contactthe Cyprus Cycling Federation (%2266 3344; Kimonos1, Egkomi, Lefkosia) for information.

Mountain bikes can be rented in PlateiaTroodos and Polis and in many coastalresorts. Bike Trek Cyprus (%2691 3676; www.biketrekcyprus.com) is one of several companies

offering custom mountain-bike tours of theRepublic.

BusInexpensive buses and minibuses are oper-ated by various private companies on bothsides of the Green Line – contact details forbus companies are listed under individualtowns. Buses link all major cities and many

villages, and fares are under CY£5 for most journeys. The last daily service on most routesleaves around 5pm. Note that few buses runon Sundays in the Republic.

Car & MotorcycleYou can hire cars and motorbikes in mosttowns, and rates start at around CY£20 perday for cars and CY£5 to CY£10 per day for mopeds and motorcycles. Most car andmotorcycle licenses are valid in the Republic,but only British and international licenses areaccepted in North Cyprus. The minimum agefor hiring a car is 21, drivers under 25 pay extra insurance fees. You must be 17 or overto ride a motorcycle (18 or over for enginesbigger than 50cc).

Cars hired in the Republic can be tempo-rarily insured for travel within North Cyprus

at the border, but hire cars cannot be takenin the opposite direction. If you travel withyour car to Cyprus on the ferry from Tur-key, you are eligible to obtain a three-monthduty waiver and local insurance upon yourarrival.

TaxiService taxis run between major towns,leaving when they have seven passengers.All service taxis in the Republic are run by Travel & Express (%7777 7474; www.travelexpress.com.cy) – you can go directly to the depots or callahead to arrange a pick-up. In the north,Kombos (%227 2929) connects Lefkoşa, Girneand Gazimağusa.

There are urban taxis in all large towns, andrural taxis connect rural villages.

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Mediterranean Europe 8 Cyprus